Happy Floral Design Day! I know it's a holiday you have all been patiently waiting for. I discovered its existence last week, and decided the only proper way to celebrate was to arrange some flowers for my little den. I've enjoyed my floral design quite a bit this week; there's something about fresh flowers that completely alters the atmosphere of a space; plus, they don't really require any natural light (ie, windows outside of the bathroom). Floral Design Day was proclaimed into existence in 1995 by then Massachusetts governor William F. Weld. If you're interested in how and why this came about, you can read about the origins, and the proclamation of purpose ﻿here﻿! There are also lots of ways to celebrate. Of course, if that's not your jam, today is also﻿ Public Sleeping Day﻿.

Taking these photos actually ended up being a very introspective process for me, which took me by surprise. I recalled that one of the first times I took photos for the pure joy of photography, as opposed to preserving an event, was an occasion my mom brought home flowers. A bunch of peachy pink peonies, which she knew would soon fade but hadn't been able to resist at the grocery store. I hung a white sheet from the bookshelf, opened the front door for light, and shot a series of macro images with the point and shoot I had at the time. Those images are floating around my external hard drive, and I'm still quite fond of them. It was a while later before that photography seed actually bloomed into anything, and was actually fostered in the greatest part by my father, who has continued to be my biggest supporter of my enterprises.

The summer before my senior year of high school, my parents and I went on a two week vacation, hitting cities on the East Coast and areas of the South. It was my first time being in New York City and Washington D.C, and I was ecstatic... until my camera was stolen from my purse in transit to NYC. That silly point and shoot I had used to the shoot the peonies, already loaded with D.C. photos, was gone and I was despondent. In an extreme act of love and trust, my father offered to let me borrow his brand new camera, purchased for the trip. It was a Nikon D80, the newest model at the time, a DSLR that was much bigger and much nicer than anything I had ever used. He showed me some basics, put the camera strap around my neck, and set me loose. It was love at first sight. I bonded with that camera so hard, it was difficult to hand it back to him. He went through my photos, glancing back and forth between me and the viewing screen. He told me they were pretty good. For the rest of the trip, my father was quick to lend me the camera. He would take his own shots, and then eagerly pass it to me, seeing how I created my images. I thought he was simply being nice, but sometime later he admitted that he liked my photographs better than his. When we got back, he bought me a new camera. Another point and shoot, but it was much nicer than the one that had been stolen. He continued to let me use his camera, and for my 21st birthday he made sure that I got my own, a Nikon D3000 which is still my baby. In the meantime, directly after I had graduated from high school, I started working as a photographer for Lifetouch in their retail studios. That job was a hellish nightmare; three and a half years of screaming, kicking, being cursed at, bad parenting, even worse managers, missing lunch breaks, being a terrible salesperson, being vomited on, and working some really painful Friday mornings (it was college, after all). One of the best days of my life was quitting that job, but I learned a lot about photography, and my passion flourished. I quit Lifetouch to study abroad in Florence; a whirlwind four months of traveling, eating, and taking hundreds upon hundreds of photos.

When I returned home to the States, I put my camera back in the bag... and never really took it out again. I suffered from an extreme lack of inspiration and rapid life changes that cropped up like roadblocks. My parents announced their divorce after nearly 25 years of marriage, I struggled to get my degree finalized, started a new job, dealt with the pain of an absolutely disintegrated relationship with my roommate, moved back home, was sick for ten months with a digestive problem no one could seem to diagnose, worked through the toughest periods yet in my relationship. My semester abroad ended two years ago now. For two years, my camera has sat waiting for me to return to it, to remember the happiness it brought. To remember that the iPhone can't really capture everything, now matter how many filters you use. For two years, I let the things in my life shackle me, blamed it on everything else, while it was me that stood in the way. Part of my goal for this blog is to inspire myself again, bring me back to the core of was excites me and brightens my outlook. I've started another new job, a good one but not creative in the slightest, and it becomes all too easy to let my more imaginative pursuits slip away in the undertow of paperwork and commuting. Instead, I'm buying flowers. I'm taking pictures. I'm making tassel garlands for my new home and trying out cocktail recipes. I'm planning a vacation and allowing myself to not be stressed out by the fact that there are still a lot of things in my life that are unsettled.

In general, I'm remembering to be happy.

I hope everyone has a good weekend (Sunday is the Oscars, but the really important day is Saturday, which is National Peanut Butter Lovers Day). Cheers, and see you Monday, Rachel

I'm really excited to share how I put together my tissue tassel garland! It was definitely a little time consuming, but the outcome was totally worth it. The best part about going the DIY route is that you can decide what colors you want and how long you want it to be (though if you would rather just have a lovely one shipped right to your door, I'm a big fan of Studio Mucci). I bought my tissue from Target, which perhaps isn't the most cost effective, but they have a great range of colors. The gold tassels are about the easiest thing in the world to make, since you can just buy this 10' long Mylar fringe valance, and then just snip the desired length and roll them up (I used 10" to create mine). The best part is that it's 15" long, which is about the length that the tissue paper tassels come out to be. Okay, you ready for this? Let's get started!

Before you get started, I think it's easiest to decide beforehand what colors and pattern you want to create, and get a rough count of how many tassels you should craft. I did not do this, and now I have about 30 extra tassels just floating around, waiting to be tied onto things (I'm thinking I should just start putting them around in random locations, call it #tasselbombing). Depending on how full you want it, a general guideline is 9-12 tassels per foot of garland. Once you've got that settled, grab your first piece, and lay it out so that you have greater width than length, and let's get going!

step by step:

1. Fold what will be the top of your tassel down, about an inch (the Target sheets are 16.5", keep in mind that you want it to be about 15" once folded). This is going to give you a guide on how far to cut and will make it easier to fold and roll in later steps.2. Fold the tissue paper in half, width-wide. And then do it again. And again. And again. This is going to give you a more manageable amount of cutting. It can help to clip the loose ends together once you've done this, to prevent slippage while cutting.3. Now cut your strips, starting at the bottom and going all the way up to your fold line. Do your best to keep the sheets straight (moving your hand up as you cut help), but I was surprised by how forgiving it actually was. When you get to the last few cuts it gets trickier, but just do your best.4. Once you're done cutting, give your soon-to-be tassel a little shake to loosen any of the strips that got trimmed off accidentally. I had a few of these on every tassel, but it never seemed to effect the fullness adversely. 5. Now, roll it up! I found it best to start rolling from where you just finished cutting because it's usually a little messier, and now it's hidden on the inside!6. Tape it up!7. If you see any pieces that got snipped and are significantly shorter/wider/thinner than the rest, just pull them out from the base to keep the tassel looking uniform.8 & 9. There are a lot of ways you can attach these, but this how I did mine using tape. Fold a piece lenghtwise, sticky sides together to create the loop. Then tape that piece over the top, leaving enough room for your cord (I taped them on as I went, instead of trying to thread them on later).

Boom! You have a tassel! Now make, like, a gazillion more! They're awesome for not only banners, but also for gift wrap, spicing up your bar cart, and they look really lovely hanging with cafe lights. You could also make #tasselbombing a thing. If you're interested in making smaller tassels, I've made some using this method, and they end up looking great as well (you just have to watch that they don't get too tangled while you're rolling them up).

Happy DIY-ing, have a good Thursday! Much love and many returns, Rachel

That's right, it's Hump Day! A day that is both great, and a downer, because while you're halfway through your week (!!), you're also only half way through your week (what do you mean it's not Friday yet?). Best way to combat the mid-week blues? For me, there's nothing quite like getting a little colorful inspiration to remind me that there's more beyond the monochromatic sage green and taupe walls of my office; it gets me thinking about projects, the weekend, and how I'm going to quit my day job someday. This is something I want to do every week in order to try and provide a refresh button for all of us. So, here are some of things that have particularly inspired me this past week from Pinterest, Instagram, and my favorite blogs!

pinterest

1. I'm obsessed with the look of these mismatched bridesmaid dresses; I've always loved different dresses in the same color, but I hadn't thought about mixing it up so much. 2. I know I just moved into a new place, but omigoodnessgracious I just love this house so much. Wonder if they want to rent a room out?3. This flower bedecked bumper is such a cute take on a traditional wedding send off (though I wouldn't want to take them off!)4. I've been to New York three different times, but I've never done a doughnut tour. Wonder if they highlight any gluten free options? (PS, did you see my kitty doughnut on Instagram? It was so cute I almost didn't want to eat it. Almost.)5. The ruffled chiffon layers and matching nude pumps have me falling in love, and wondering if I could get away with that look at the office (Answer: No.)6. I can't wait to try this French Rickey this weekend, plus the illustrated recipe is just the cutest!

Instagram

1. I'm insanely jealous of randomactsofpastel 's radical mermaid/unicorn hair. If I didn't have an office job that would totally fire me for it, I would have already gone out and shamelessly copied her.2. The flower bombed office at freepeople makes my heart flutter. There are few things in the world that can brighten up a space quite like an abundance of blooms.3. There is nothing about this photo that is not perfect. It was really hard not to put kassiaphoy in this collage like seven times this week. Definitely girl crushing, and I absolutely don't know her (sorry if I sound super creepy right now).4. Lotsapresence speaks the truth. Holla.5. This dress on ﻿alixcherry﻿... wowza. I'm all about it, plus she makes the best videos on Instagram.6. Totally swooning over this kitchen and everything in it; I think the kitchen should be one of the best rooms in the house, and bekahgrace_ totally nailed it.

blogs

1. It's going to be really difficult for me not to go and buy this entire look from the Wildfox Fall 2014 runway when it becomes available. I'm including the flower crown in this, of course.2. These printable cup wraps from A Subtle Revelry are gorgeous, and make it easy to cover those hideous dixie cup designs for your next party. It's amazing how such simple details can make such an impact.3. Kris Atomic's backstage shots for Temperley AW '14 are utterly gorgeous; I just want to have this entire rack transported into my home, please and thank you.4. The office that is taking shape in the Beautiful Mess studio home is awesome, and I especially love the desk built so there's storage right at your fingertips.5. Tiny bundt cake place settings are just about the coolest thing I wish I had thought of first, and Charmed Events makes it sparkle with the addition of gold and pink. I want an invite to their next shindig.6. Door Sixteen posted a couple of photos from her Stockholm trip, and I can't wait for the rest. They're beautiful, moody, atmospheric, and make me want to jump on the first plane out of here.

Happy Wednesday everyone! Make it a good one. Much love and many returns, Rachel

Hi there! Ready for the tour? Okay, here's the bedroom, dining room, and kitchen. That about wraps it up, thanks for stopping by!

Kidding, though admittedly the 'big reveal' suffers from lack of impact when it's all in one room. I try to make up for it by the sheer volume of items I have managed to stuff in there.

By numbers, books are the largest quantity, and were the first things that moved in after the bed was assembled. They had all been packed up for the past year in storage, and opening up the boxes was like having a second shot at Christmas. The look of utter joy that was plastered on my face as I unpacked and sorted all of my books seemed to confuse my boyfriend, watching as I poured over them like a besotted lover. I have to admit that I hugged more than a few to my chest, and surreptitiously sniffed a couple as well. After that, it started to feel like home.

Oh, the bar cart helped with that homey feeling too. Because it's not really your place until you pop a bottle of champagne in it! I'm absolutely in love with my Ikea Raskog kitchen cart; while it may not be the vintage Lucite number I've always dreamed about, it is very space conscious, and that sort of thing wins my heart these days.

I'm still working on the space, mostly just decorative at this point. The biggest thing I'm trying to work on are the walls, which are currently blindingly white and horrifyingly blank. They have a ribbed drywall treatment, so I can't nail into them or even tape on them (there goes all those washi tape tutorials); any renters out there with clever ideas?

As you may have noticed, I have not included any shots of the bathroom, so let me describe it for you. Imagine that you stand a shoe box on end, and then lineup a tiny vanity, toilet, and shower across the back. Now, you have a pretty good idea of my situation. Ooh, also, the shower ceiling is at a bit of a slant because that's where the stairs for the upper apartment are. So basically I just pretend I'm Harry Potter, in the water closet under the stairs. But on the upside, it does have the one window in the whole place and it actually provides quite a bit of natural light. I'm brainstorming a bathroom beautification project, so when I get that done perhaps I'll try to take a few pictures (I might have to stand in the shower).

One of the saving graces for this space is the built in storage, a little of which you can see in the mirror wall (which, BTW, covers the garage door, so it still looks like a garage from the outside, LOL). The last place I lived in (aka "The Pillow Fort") had literally no storage, something I didn't think was a big deal at the time. Wrong. Unless you like the idea of looking at everything you own all the time (that includes your files of tax returns, Christmas decorations, bath towels, vacuum, etc.), get serious about your closet space.

My favorite thing I've made for this space is the tassel garland to hang over my bed. I stayed up til 5 am Sunday crafting this with a couple of cocktails and binged on the entire last season of Burn Notice on Netflix (it was terrible but I couldn't stop), and I was quite happy with the outcome! I'm going to post a little DIY on Thursday on how I made these 15 inch bad boys.

Hi there! I'm Rachel, and I became a first time renter just a few weeks ago. Yay! I lived in an apartment in college that I shared with two roommates, but this definitely feels different. I've made a lot of new discoveries, like the acute pain that the first of the month brings, and that your mom was right when she said you need to clean the floors every week. In that college apartment, my room was actually the living room, which became subdivided through a system of french doors and curtain rods; so having four solid walls and locking door is like a whole new world! Also a biggie is the fact that what we lovingly called "the pillow fort" was in fact bigger than my new studio.

Moving into a tiny space is definitely a learning experience. I never imagined that I would graduate from college, get a job, and then move into a renovated one car garage (not kidding) with only one window (yikes) and entirely mirrored wall (is that weird?). But, despite all of that, I am totally enamored with my new space. So for the first blog post about my "little den", I thought it was only right that I share a few things I've learned so far.

1. You don't need to buy tiny furniture for a tiny space. I have a full sized bed, a table with leaves, and two huge dining room chairs. Do I have a whole lot of extra space? No, not really. But what would a twin bed, card table, and folding chairs achieve? Certainly not great repose, but you could probably do cartwheels. Or play Twister. Go for the stuff that's going to make you the most comfortable; and plus, putting larger pieces in an itty-bitty space is more aesthetically pleasing (it actually draws less attention to the small size!).

2. On that note, don't nix the bar cart just because it's not terribly practical.I'm not going to be the next Gatsby considering that an occupancy of five would probably be breaking the fire code, but it's something I want, so I have it. This applies to a lot of things; while certain items may not be pragmatic in 300 square feet, it's important for you to have the objects that make a happy home. Set up the sewing machine. Put your Kitchen Aid mixer on the tiny counter. Hang the big ol' chalkboard. Be happy when you walk through the door.

3. There's something really great about taking your pants off in the kitchen......because it's also your bedroom (and dining room).

4. Don't assemble Ikea furniture alone.I'm dead serious. You will have blisters, you will be cursing whoever designed those stupid picture instructions, you will be on the verge of deleting every Pinterest pin of any remotely Nordic travel destinations, and you will swear you never liked those meatballs anyways (I didn't mean it!). Use the buddy system, at least for the sake of your sanity.

5. Living in a small space makes you realize what things you cherish...and what things you're going to sell at the next yard sale.You take a good long look at that tiny closet (if you're lucky), and suddenly those clothes that you bought for-such-a-good-deal-but-never-wear-but-can't-get-rid-of become pretty simple to part with. A lot of stuff just seems too laborious to pack and unpack (all those seashells from last summer's beach combing? Bai Felicia!). Sometimes the silliest things can strike you as perfect however, like the two vintage plastic deer that have lived in 3 different homes with me. I can't part with them, and they now occupy prime real estate on my bookshelf. Mostly, don't become bogged down and stressed out by those decisions; you can wait to decide whether or not you're ready to give up that collection of Babysitters Club books.

My goals for this blog are pretty diverse at this point, and I'm interested to see where it will lead. I want to make the most out of my little den, keep my creative spirit alive despite a draining 40 hour work week, try out some recipes, and maybe a DIY or two.